Silent-key mechanism for type-writers.



V PATENTED JUNE 9. 1903. W. F. HBLMOND & 0. 0. KAVLE. SILENT KEYMECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITERS.

" APPLIGATION FILED NOV. 13, 190? INVENTORS #4; ATTORNEYS NO MODEL.

YHE NORRIi F5755 CO, PHOTDLIYHQ, WASHMGTON. D. C4

WILLIAM F. HELMOND AND OSCAR C. KAVLE, OF HARTFORD, OONNEOTI- PatentedJune 9,1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

OUT, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO UNDERWOOD TYPE- WRITER COMPANY,OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SILENT-KEY MECHANISM FOR TYPE-WRITERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Pate-ntNo. 730,456, dated June 9,1903. Application filed November 13 1902. Serial No. 181,150. (Nomodel.)

To all whom, it may concern.- Be it known that we, WILLIAM F. HELMONDand OSCAR O. KAVLE, citizens of the United States, and residents ofHartford, county of Hartford, and State of Connecticut, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Silent-Key Mechanism forType-Vriters, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to silent keys of type- [0 writers and likemachinesthat is, to keys which print without feeding the carriageas, forinstance, keys for applying accent-marks and the like.

Our present invention has especial reference to machines in which theimpression is efiected through the medium, ofcan ink-ribbon,which ismovably mounted and is brought to the printin -point by the operation ofany one of the type-keys. In many machines provision is made for liftingthe carriage or a portion of it in order that the platen may come intooperative relation with one or the other of two types carried by thetype-levers. The object of this'invention is to provide 2 5 asimplesilent-key mechanism for machines of this class by which therequisite movement will be imparted to the ribbon by the movement of thesilent key whether the platen be in the upper-case or in the lower-caseposition.

The invention will be fully described hereinafter and the features ofnovelty pointed out in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1is a sectional elevation of a portion of a type-writing machineembodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a rear view of a portion of themechanism, and Fig. 3 is a detail side view of the ribbon-guide and theparts connected therewith directly. 1

We desire it to be understood that the construction illustrated is onlyan example and that various modifications'may be made without departingfrom the nature of our invention.

As illustrated, the key 1 is secured to a keylever 2, fnlcrumed at 3upon the frame 4 and having a loose connection at 2 with a link or elbowlever5, fulcrumed at 6. This link is also loosely connected at 5 withatypelever 7, fulcrumed at 8 on the segment .9 and carrying double type10. Normally the typelever rests on a cushion 11.

Rigidly secured to the key-lever 2 adjacent to its pivot end is an arm12, the upper end of which has a fork 13 arranged to straddle anoperating-crank l l filvhich is rigidly secured upon a rock-shaft 15.This rock-shaft is mounted in the frame 16, which is pivoted at 17 andsupports the front rail 18, forming a track for the carriage, this beinga wellknown construction. Any suitable shift mechanism is employed forswinging the frame 16, and with it the platen portion of the carriage,up or down. The length of the crank 14 is such that whether the frame 16be up or down such crank will remain in operative relation to the fork13, which simply slides along the crank as the latter is raised orlowered with the frame 16. The crank 14: is adj ustably secured upon theshaft 15, as by means of a set-screw 14, which not only permits thecrank to be turned upon the shaft, but to be adjusted lengthwise thereofto bring the crank into registry with the arm 12, according tothelocation of the silent key, which may vary. Of course if the machinecomprises several silent ,keys, a corre sponding number of-cranks fivill be secured upon the shaft 15. The rock-shaft is supported by arms19, which are secured adjustably to the rail. 18, as by means of aset-screw 20 engaging a slotted portion 19. Upon the rock-shaftis alsorigidly secured, as by means of a setscrew 21 a crank-arm 21, having alateral extension 21". This extension is adapted for engagement with anarm 22, secured rigidly to-the curved carrier 23, the free end of whichis formed into a hook 24,connected withthe ribbon-guide 2i". Thiscarrier is pivotally connected at 25 with the stationary arm 19 and isdrawn toward the extension 21 by a spring 26. Upon the pivot 25 is alsoloosely mounted an arm 27, carrying a collar 28, loosely at its freeend. A spring 29 connects the carrier 23 with the arm 27 5 sition.

and has a tendency to bring these parts into the position shown in Fig.3, the lower end of the arm 27 being adapted to abut against an inclinedshoulder of the carrier 23 and to fit 5 between the said carrier and thearm 22, as

shown in Fig. 2.

The collar 28 engages a vertical guideway in a bracket 30, which isprojected from a frame or bar 30, which moves from front to lo rear onthe frame of the machine, being connected ,with the universal bar 31,which receives a movement from front to rear in the usual mannerthat is,all keys that are not silent keys are provided with projections or heels7, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig.

1, these heels being adapted to engage the universal bar and to move itrear ward. The frame 30 is connected with the escapement mechanism inthe well-known or in any approved manner, so that each rearward movementof the universal bar causes the carriage to be fed. At the same time,through the medium of the bracket 30 and of the arm 27, the carrier 23is swung on its pivot 25, so as to impart the usual upward movement tothe ,WW ribbon-guide 24.

Should the frame 16 and the track 18 be raised from the position shownin Fig. 1, the engagement of the bracket with the collar 28 will remainsubstantially 0 the same, owing to the vertical guidewayprofore notoperated. The arm 12, however, by

means of its fork 13 imparts a rocking movement to the crank-arm 14 inthe direction indicated by the arrow, and this movement is by means ofthe shaft 15 communicated to 5 the arm 21, the extension of which, 21then abuts against the arm 22 and swings the carrier 23 upward on itsfulcrum 25, thus also raising the ribbon-guide 24. The arm 27 of courseremains stationary during this movement, and the spring 29 allows thecarrier 23 to move independently of the arm 27 in this particular case,but restores the parts to their original position as soon as the silentkey is released. It will be readily seen that the operation of thesilent key upon the ribbonguide is substantially the same, whether therail 18, and with it the platen, be in the upper or the lower position.The leverage of the arm 12 upon the crank-arm 14 is slightly 6o changedby shifting the arm 16 up or down,

but not sufficiently to materially afiect the operation.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a type-writing machine, the combination with a ribbon-guide and amovable carrier therefor, of a rock-shaft having means for impartingmovement to said carrier, a crank-arm upon said rock-shaft, a movableframe, adapted to support the carriage and also supporting the saidcarrier and rockshaft, and a key fulcrumed on the main frame of themachine and provided with an operat- .1ng-arm having a slidingengagement with the said crank-arm so that the said crankarm may beraised or lowered together with the movable carrying-frame, withoutbringing said crank-arm out of operative engagement with the arm on thekey.

2. In a type-writing machine, the combination with the main frame andthe key fulcruined thereon, said key being provided with anoperating-arm, of a carriage-supporting frame movably mounted upon themain frame, a carrier movably mounted on said carriagesupporting frame,a ribbon-guide connected with the carrier, and an operating elementconnected with said carrier and having a sliding engagement with theoperating-arm of the key so as to remain in operative relation to thekey, Whether the carriage -supporting frame be in the raised or thelowered position.

3. In a type-writing machine, the combination with the main frame, a keyfulcrumed thereon and provided with an operating-arm, acarriage-supporting frame movably mounted on the main frame, a carrierpivoted on said carriage-supporting frame, a ribbon guide connected withsaid carrier, a rockshaft mounted on the carriage-supporting frame at adistance from the pivot of the carrier and provided with a memberarranged to operate said carrier, and another member mounted on saidrock-shaft and arranged to engage the operating-arm of the key, whetherthe carriage-supporting frame be in its upper or in its lower position.

4;. In a type-writing machine, the combination with a main frame, anauxiliary frame movably mounted thereon and adapted to support thecarriage, a carrier fulcrumed on said auxiliary frame, a ribbon-guideconnected with the carrier, a rock-shaft journaled in the auxiliaryframe and extending parallel with the pivot of the carrier, saidrock-shaft having a member adapted for operative engagement with thecarrier, a crank-arm ad- 3 ustable lengthwise upon said rock-shaft, anda key fulcrumed upon the main frame and provided with an arm arranged toengage said crank-arm irrespective of the position of the auxiliaryframe.

5. In a type-writing machine, the combination with the main frame, anauxiliary frame adapted to support the carriage, a universal bar adaptedto be operated by sundry of the keys, and an escapement-operating memberconnected with said universal bar, of a carrier fulcrumed upon saidauxiliary frame, a ribbon-guide connected with the carrier, an armhaving a yielding connect-ion with the carrier and engaging the memberwhich operates the escapement so that the carrier will be operated by amovement of said escapemanta-operating member, while also allowing for amovement of the carrier independently of said member, and keyoperatedmeans for actuating the said carrierindependently of theescapement-operating member.

6. The combination in a type-writing machine of a main frame, a movableauxiliary frame adapted to support the carriage, a universal oar adaptedto be actuated by sun- 'dry of the keys, an escapement-cperating memberconnected with said universal bar, a bracket which is rigid with saidmember and which is provided with a vertical guide way, an arm fulernmedon the auxiliary frame havinga sliding engagement with said guideWay acarrier fulcrumed on said auxiliary frame at the same point as the saidarm, a spring which has a tendency to throw the carrier away from saidarm, a ribbon- \VILLIAM F. HELMOND.

OSCAR O. KAVLE. Witnesses:

EDWARD J. MANNING, E. A. EDGAR.

